Join Virginia State Parks across the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
for the 28th Annual Clean the Bay Day, Saturday, June 4, 2016.

Find and register for an event here

Volunteers pick up trash along the York River which empties into the Chesapeake Bay

On the first Saturday in June, thousands of volunteers from all over the Virginia portion of the Chesapeake Bay watershed simultaneously descend to remove harmful debris from area streams, tributaries, and the Bay itself. Clean the Bay Day is a massive undertaking coordinated by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. All of our Virginia State Parks in the Chesapeake Bay watershed are offering cleanups on Saturday, June 4, 2016.

What is the Chesapeake Bay Watershed? Extending as far north as New York State, the Chesapeake Bay watershed encompasses 64,000 square miles and more than 18 million people live in the area. This is the land mass that drains into creeks, streams and rivers and ultimately reaches the Chesapeake Bay. The pink area in the map below shows how much of Virginia is in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The Potomac, James, Rappahannock and York Rivers and the tributaries that feed into them are major components of the watershed.

While there are multiple issues that impact the health of the Bay, Clean the Bay Day deals with the litter component. Why litter?

• Spoils the areas where we live and the open spaces we recreate in. Who wants to swim, paddle or fish in trash-filled waters?
• Car batteries, tires, creosote pilings, etc. contaminate drinking water. Abandoned crab pots, fishing line, plastic and balloons pose a threat to wildlife as they often mistake litter for food or prey.
• Litter is often an indicator of more major pollution issues.
• It's up to us to remove this litter as much of it will take many years to biodegrade:

Glass bottles 1 million years
Monofilament fishing line 600 years
Plastic beverage bottles 450 years
Disposable diapers 450 years
Aluminum can 80-200 years
Foam plastic cup 50 years
Plastic bag 10-20 years
Cigarette filter 1-5 years

Source: US National Park Service

Whether you choose a clean-up activity at one of our Virginia State Parks or any of the other events listed, we will all benefit from your efforts. Choose and register for a Clean the Bay Day event here.